Thomas p



(No Model.)

. T.. P. LUCAS. LQGKINGPAWL PoR ANGHOR GHAIN'S;

No; 293.657. V

Patenteaeb. 19, 1884.

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y NITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE. l

THOMAS vl?. LUCAS, OF GALVESTON, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN s. BROWN,

OF SAME PLAGE.

I Oo'KlNG-PAWI. iFOR ANCHOR-CHAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 293,657',` dated Februar'y '19, 1,884.

u Application tiled JuneSO, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may con/cern,.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS P. Lucas, a citizen of the United States, residing at Galveston, Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Locking-Pawls for Anchor-v Chains, of which 'the following isa specifica- This invention relates to improvements in 'that class of devices employed for stopping the chain cables of vessels for which Letters Patent No. 248,331 were issued October 18, 188,1; and my present invention has for its object to provide a novelcombiuation'of parts whereby the rising and falling and horizonf tally-moving clamping-block can be rigidly locked in its engagement with the cable to stop the latter, also, to provide novel means for protecting the wood-work of the vessel from wear as the cable is moved. These objects I accomplish by the construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section, showing a bow-stopper and an aft-stopper embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the aft-stopper. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the bow-stopper. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective, showing the forked clamping-lever.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lower surface of the clamping-block.

A in said drawings indicates the clamping boX, consisting of abase, a, and vertical sides a a. The base a is provided with shallow recesses a2, having a length about equal to the length of the separate links, and having an alternating arrangement similar to that shown in Fig. 5, and approximating the alternation of thesuccessive links in such manner that as the cable lies upon the base a the opposite` barsof the alternate link will li'e in the alternate recesses. The clamping-block B has its lower face recessed in a corresponding manner, as shown at b2, Fig. 5, so that the sidebars of the same link may lie in recesses upon opposite sides of the base a and the clampingblock B, respectively, as indicated in Fig.l3. The edges of the metal lying between said recesses are rounded, so that the cable may pass over them as itruns out. In the vertical sides a are formed slots or channels a a3, inclined tral point of each side is cut an linclined way,

c, parallel with the slots a3, and passing completely through the side. A portion vof the metal upon each side is extended upward to form a lug, a5, to which is pivoted a lockingpawl;B, which is adapted to swing by gravity into avertical position. This pawl, as shown, is composed of two arms, BL B2, hung at one end ou a pintle, B3, which is supported vby the lugs a5, the other ends of the arms being con` nected by a rod, e, so that agravitating bail or yoke-shaped pawl is provided, the said pawl being located directly above the clampingblock, so as to rest on the upper surface thereof. B represents the clampingblock, recessed in the manner described, and having upon each side inclined lugsbb and b3, which move in the channels a and a4 andretain the block in parallelism with the base a. Upon the'lug b3, upon each side, is formed an outwardly-projecting stud, 1f, which moves ih the ways @tin the sides of the clamping-box, a perforation being formed near the end of each stud toreceive a retaining-pin.

` Projectingoutwardly from the sides a ofthe box A are short journals a a, which receive and form .fulcrumLbearings for a forked lever, @,formed in two parts, 'c c, which are united above the center ofthe clamping-box, and there form an upwardly-projecting shank, c. In Aeach part of the forked lever C is formed a slot, ci', which engages with one of the studs b4 on the clamping-block, the arrangement being such that the said slots are inclined at an angle to the ways a* in the sides a', so that as the lever is turned'upon its bearings a it will raise or depress the clamping-block B, bringing it down upon the chain as the said lever is depressed and lifting it as the lever is raised.

Moreover, as theblock is drawn down the studs b* have a certain degree of play in the slots of the lever, whereby they are brought close to the fulcrum-bearings a, thereby giving an increased power to said lever as the clampingblock engages with the cable. The inclination of the channels e3 and a4 gives to the clamping-block a downward and at the same time a forward movement, the latter being in the direction in which the chain cable is running, whereby the friction of the latter upon loo said block tends to assist the action of the le l ver G in forcing the block into engagement with the chain. As said block descends, the locking-pawl, which rests upon each side of its upper surface, moves with it until it as suines the position shown in Fig. l upon the aft-stopper, whereby the clamping-block is sccurelylocked in engagement with the cable.

D indicates adetachable handle, of suitable length, having at one end a socket, d, adapted to receive the shank c ofthe lever C. A perforation may be formed in cach of these parts to receive a retainingpin, d.

In vessels of seven hundred tons and under a single stopper to cach cable will usually be sufficient; but in vessels of greater tonnage I propose to employ two--viz., abow-stopper and an aft-stopper, with the' cable passing through both. In this arrangement the aftstopper may be placed so that the cable may pass from it down to the chain lockers., as shown in l. In this stopper the parts are constructed as already described; but the after ends of the sides a of the clampingbox are curved and brought together, as shown in Fig. 2 at c. The base a also is provided with adownwardlyproiectingilange, f,which forms a bearing-surface for thechainas it runs out or .as it is brought in. A similar flange, f', is formed upon the part c, and both depend through the opening in the deek by which the chain passes, and serve to protect the wood from wear. A removable cap, E, is fitted upon the part c, and serves to exclude rain or water washing about the deck.

The position of the parts as well as of the links ofthe cable is shown in Fig. 3.

The extremities of the handles D may be provided with eyes el to receive a rope, which may be used to lash the lever down in case of accident to the locking-pawl, or which may be run over a snatch-block to impart additional power to the lever.

Vhen the cable is stopped and the clamping-block locked down by the pawl B', the handle D may be removed and laid aside until it is necessary to use it again.

Having thus described my invention ,what I claim isw l. The combination of the clamping-box, the rising and falling clalnpingbloek, and a pawl pivotally connected with the box directly over the block, and having its free end adapted to fall by gravity and rest upon the upper surface of the block to lock the latter in engagement with the cable, substantially as described.

2. The combination ofthe clamping-box and adapted to fall by gravity and rest upon the upper surface of the block to lock the latter in engagement with the cable, substantially as described.

4. rIhe clamping-block A, having its side walls, a, brought together at one end and constructed on its under side with the depending flanges ff', in combination with the clampingn block, substantially as described. f f

5. The combination, with `the clamping block having its sides provided with the inclined slots, and the clamping-block having the lugs b, provided with studs b, ofthe forked lever C, having the shank c', and the detachable handle D, having a socket adapted to said shank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in thev presence of two subscribing witnesses.

T. P. LUCAS. llfitnesses:

J. A. RUTHERFORD, ALBERT H. NoRRIs. 

